This present invention relates to the retrofitting of a single glazing or window pane to improve the insulation feature thereof and more particularly to a novel molding unit that seals and exerts a constant pressure along the full length of the added window pane or glazing while providing an aesthetic appearance.
In the construction of commercial buildings as well as residential homes it has become increasingly important to conserve energy by improving the insulation of the building's windows due to the increased cost of heating and cooling. Heretofore the energy costs for heating and cooling were not that significant. Particularly in the case of single window panes or glazings there was no real impetus to employ anything other than single windows. Accordingly, when the cost of heating and cooling increased, it became necessary to prove means for adding on a second window pane or glazing to an existing window pane to improve its insulation characteristics. The present invention is directed to the application of a second window pane to the inside of the original window and to provide a novel molding unit that exerts a predetermined force or pressure along the entire periphery of the second pane while providing a retainer means that present an aesthetic appearance along the full length and is consistent in its appearance along such full length. From the structural features of the molding unit, the predetermined force is built into the unit as it is installed, to permit its installation by workers that are not necessarily skilled in the art yet assures a highly acceptable installation with consistent results. The retainer's decorative unit allows easy access to the molding units installation that provides the compressive force on the secondary window pan.